JUSTIN STEWART: Weight room etiquette

Let’s talk about etiquette in the weight room.

Comment

Neosho Daily News - Neosho, MO

Writer

Posted Jul. 24, 2013 at 10:59 PM

Posted Jul. 24, 2013 at 10:59 PM

Let’s talk about etiquette in the weight room. No, I’m not talking about pinkies up while lifting. I’m talking about acceptable behavior while working out. There are certain behaviors that just do not belong in the weight room. The following are valid Neosho Freeman Family YMCA member complaints I have heard about certain people in the weight room, and I feel they should be addressed.

Those loud, crazy animalistic noises coming from you can be turned down. It scares people and distracts them from their own workout. People can see you just fine; they don’t need to hear you. If they wanted to listen to those kinds of noises, they could go to the zoo.

Along those lines, dropping the weights is not impressive. It doesn’t show people how strong you are; it shows that you can’t control your weight. I don’t mean to lay it down like you’re getting ready to tuck it in for the night, but not to use it like a sledgehammer. One, it damages the floor and two, it damages the weights. Don’t be the reason we can’t have nice things.

After you use the weights, pick up after yourself. Nobody wants to go around hunting for weights and picking up after you because you weren’t able to do it yourself. If you are strong enough to get it out and lift it, you are strong enough to put it away. I’m sorry we don’t have enough room here to have your mother move in to clean up your messes.

There are socially acceptable amounts of time to use a machine. Using the machine for an hour is not within that time frame. Most people would agree 15-30 minutes is enough time to use it before allowing someone else time to use it too.

Finally, there is a reason gyms have spray bottles and rags. After a hard workout, you tend to sweat. People do not want to sit in your sweat after you use a machine. Wipe it down. Caring is sharing, but not in this case. The rest of us would rather you not share your DNA.

There are other people in the weight room besides you. Be respectful of other people’s time in the weight room. We want everyone to enjoy their time at the gym, and we would hate that someone stops coming because of the animal in the back of the weight room grunting on the squat rack for an hour.

The YMCA weight room is open during facility operating hours. For more info contact the Neosho Freeman Family YMCA at 455-9999.